Process extension wizard for coherent multi-dimensional business process models

• US 20090007056A1
• Filed: 06/29/2007
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Prigge, Uta, Kaetker, Stefan
• Granted Patent: US 8,386,996 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

This disclosure relates to methods, systems, and software for processing a coherent multi-dimensional business process model. The software includes computer-readable instructions embodied on media to identify a coherent multi-dimensional business process model based on at least a portion of a first model for a business process and at least a portion of a second model for the business process. The software then parses the multi-dimensional business process model to identify at least one extension point, each extension point operable to interface a disparate business tool with the business process. The software is further operable to present an extension wizard to a client for a particular one of the identified extension points. It can create entities and extensions in various modeling environments and development environments.

Claims

1. Software for processing a coherent multi-dimensional business process model, the software comprising computer-readable instructions embodied on media and operable when executed to:

identify a coherent multi-dimensional business process model based on at least a portion of a first model for a first business process and at least a portion of a second model for the first business process; and

parse the multi-dimensional business process model to identify at least one extension point, each extension point operable to interface a disparate business process with the first business process; and

present an extension wizard to a client for a particular one of the identified extension points.

2. The software of claim 1, the first model comprising a business process variant flow model and the second model comprising a state action model.

3. The software of claim 1, the identified multi-dimensional business process model protected from modification by the client.

4. The software of claim 1, the extension wizard presenting one or more extensibility patterns compatible with the particular extension point.

5. The software of claim 4, the extensibility patterns selected from the following:

add a business task;

add field;

add after process;

add before process; and

add in between process.

6. The software of claim 4, the extensibility wizard operable to present a series of questions to the client based on the first model.

7. The software of claim 4 further operable to add one or more modeling elements at the particular extension point in response to client input, the modeling elements representing the disparate business process.

8. The software of claim 7 further operable to regenerate the coherent multi-dimensional business process model in response to the added modeled elements.

9. The software of claim 8, the software operable to regenerate the coherent multi-dimensional business process model comprising software operable to:

modify the first model to accommodate the added modeling elements; and

regenerate the coherent multi-dimensional business process model in response to the first model being modified.

10. The software of claim 9 further operable to present a portion of the modified first model to the client.

11. The software of claim 8 further operable to execute a consistency verification process prior to the regeneration.

12. The software of claim 7 further operable to receive a textual identifier of one of the modeling elements from the client.

13. The software of claim 7, each modeling element selected from the following:

a process step;

an operation;

an inbound process agent;

an outbound process agent;

a task agent;

a task type;

a user-centric component;

a business object;

a flow;

a timer;

a process component; and

a composite process component.

14. The software of claim 1, the extensibility point comprising an asynchronous process step operable to be replaced.

15. A computer implementable method for processing a coherent multi-dimensional business process model comprising:

identify a coherent multi-dimensional business process model based on at least a portion of a first model for a business process and at least a portion of a second model for the business process; and

parse the multi-dimensional business process model to identify at least one extension point, each extension point operable to interface a disparate business process with the business process; and

present an extension wizard to a client for a particular one of the identified extension points, the extension wizard presenting one or more extensibility patterns compatible with the particular extension point.

16. The method of claim 15, the first model comprising a business process variant flow model and the second model comprising a state action model.

17. The method of claim 15, the extensibility patterns selected from the following:

add a business task;

add field;

add after process;

add before process; and

add in between process.

18. The method of claim 15, the extensibility wizard operable to present a series of questions to the client based on the first model.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising adding one or more modeling elements at the particular extension point in response to client input, the modeling elements representing the disparate business process.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

modifying the first model to accommodate the added modeling elements; and

regenerating the coherent multi-dimensional business process model in response to the first model being modified.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising presenting a portion of the modified first model to the client.

22. The method of claim 20 further comprising executing a consistency verification process prior to the regeneration.

23. The method of claim 19 further comprising receiving a textual identifier of one of the modeling elements from the client.

24. The method of claim 19, each modeling element selected from the following:

a process step;

an operation;

a business object;

a flow;

a timer;

a process component; and

a composite process component.

25. The method of claim 15, the extensibility point comprising an asynchronous process step operable to be replaced.

26. The method of claim 15 further comprising creating:

i) entities in an enterprise services repository (ESR), ii) corresponding proxies in a backend, and iii) automatic coding and configuration content at design time.